September 2012 Archives

Dan Dickerson and Jim Price have become summer fixtures to legions of Tigers fans. The radio announcing team has been together since 2003 and has become a summer staple for baseball fans who listen to the Tigers throughout the state. Dickerson, 54, spent some time at Comerica Park recently chatting about life in the broadcast booth.

I started as a fill-in host in the summer of 2011 when WJRW-AM (1340) was going through some programming changes. Once the dust settled, WJRW-AM program director Josh Leng asked me if I wanted to host my own one-hour show.

Plans by CBS Radio to consolidate its southeast Michigan operations in Southfield were music to the ears of most city council members, who Monday night approved an industrial development district and awarded a five-year personal property tax abatement to the company. The approvals pave the way for CBS to move its Farmington Hills, Ferndale and current Southfield operations into a building formerly occupied by Panasonic, in the American Center Drive area of northwest Southfield.

Added: A weekday Big Ten football radio program from FOX Sports Radio and the Big Ten Network from 7 - 8 p.m. on WDFN AM 1130 Detroit.

Launched: NBC Sports Radio, heard on 178 station across the country at launch, but only one in Michigan has signed on so far. Rock WMRR-FM 101.7 Muskegon is listed as carrying only sports update products from the new network.

Radio Power is donating Detroit FM translator at 104.7 W284BQ to Family Life Radio, owner/operator of daytimer WUFL AM 1030. W284BQ was briefly known as '104.7 The Oasis' with a smooth jazz format before being forced off the air due to interference issues with Toledo's WIOT-FM 104.7.

Kalamazoo Gazette:

This year's corn maze at Gull Meadow Farms, unveiled on the orchard's Facebook page today, will feature Country Singer Alan Jackson and his hat, as well as the WIN 98.5 country music radio station's call letters.

The University of Michigan's public Michigan Radio (WUOM-FM 91.7 Ann Arbor / WFUM-FM 91.1 Flint / WVGR-FM 104.1 Grand Rapids) is providing an opportunity for members of the public to meet directly with the station's reporters, producers and on-air hosts during the inaugural "Open Newsroom" event. On Wednesday, September 12, Michigan Radio's news staff will fan out to Biggby Coffee locations across the state in an effort to engage listeners and the general public in one-on-one conversations about the issues that matter most to them.

Visitors at each event can offer news tips, suggestions for story topics or discuss issues they feel should receive more news coverage. They can also sign up to be part of Michigan Radio's Public Insight Network (PIN). PIN is a network of people that help to inform the station's coverage and news stories with insights from their personal experiences.

Michigan Radio's "Open Newsroom" events will take place on Wednesday, September 12, 2012, from 7:30-9:30 a.m. simultaneously at these Biggby Coffee locations, with the following Michigan Radio news staff:

Cumulus/Detroit Program Director Ron Harrell is leaving the Motor City behind and headed to Dallas. In addition to the PD role at News/Talk WJR AM 760, Pop WDVD-FM 96.3 and Variety Hits WDRQ-FM 93.1, Harrell was also Regional Operations Manager for 47 Cumulus stations in Michigan and Northwest Ohio. In Dallas/Fort Worth, Harrell becomes Director of Music Programming for CBS Radio.

New Windsor radio station begins testing- CINA-FM 102.3 is now on the air with an automated loop of Ethnic programming. The station, owned by Neeti P. Ray, operates with a peak of 5,000 watts with a directional antenna. The station has a strong enough signal along the Macomb/Oakland County border to completely overrun reception of WGRT FM 102.3 Port Huron. Interspersed with the Ethnic music selections are jingles in English proclaiming 'All the Hits, All the Time'.

Cumulus' News-Talk WJR AM 760 midday host Frank Beckmann was saluted live on the air earlier today during his 9 a.m. - noon show to help celebrate his 40th anniversary with the station. He was started work in the WJR news department on September 11th 1972 and has since worked in the sports department, as a play-by-play broadcaster and talk show host.

Joining Beckmann on-air today were numerous local sports, media, business and political figures to help celebrate. Also joining in the salute were Beckmann's wife Karen, son John, and daughter Tori, along with WJR's parent company Cumulus Broadcasting owner John Dickey.

Beckmann will spend his official anniversary date broadcasting live on WJR to support the Fallen Wounded and Soldier's Fund outing at Moose Ridge Golf Course in South Lyon as part of the 9/11"Day of Remembrance" memorial.

Detroit Free Press:

Get ready for a small-screen encore performance by Blaine and Allyson. The popular WDVD-FM (96.3) "Blaine and Allyson in the Morning" hosts are about to light up TVs across the country when "Dish Nation," a fast-paced, pop-culture driven syndicated show, returns to the tube beginning at midnight today on WJBK-TV (Channel 2), Fox's Detroit affiliate.

Sabrina's Voice carries on: The Sabrina Black Foundation is no more. Disc jockey Steve Black, widowed in 2006 when she died of Hodgkin's lymphoma, told me a few weeks ago that the board had agreed by a 4-1 vote to fold its assets into Gilda's Club Metro Detroit and raise money in her name there.

Weekly military talk radio show "FRONTLINES OF FREEDOM" has been added at MIDWEST COMMUNICATIONS Talk WKZO-A-F/KALAMAZOO, where it will air SUNDAYS at 8a (ET). The show, hosted by DENNY GILLEM, LTC, US ARMY (Ret.), is syndicated through TALK MEDIA NETWORK and presently airs on 13 stations, with ten added in the last 18 months.

Michigan Radio's "Issues & Ale" to visit Grand Haven: Rebecca Williams from Michigan Radio's (WUOM-FM 91.7 Ann Arbor / WFUM-FM 91.1 Flint / WVGR-FM 104.1 Grand Rapids) Environment Report will host a panel discussion examining the impact Asian carp could have on Michigan's lakes and rivers and what is being done to keep the big fish in check. "Issues & Ale: Asian Carp in the Great Lakes" will take place at the Kirby House, 2 Washington St., in Grand Haven on Tuesday, September 18, at 6:00 pm. Admission is free.

WNMU-TV Marquette will air the Northern Michigan University football team's win over the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 13.

Grand Rapids' WOOD-TV takes newscasts to ArtPrize 2012: NBC affiliate WOOD-TV Ch. 8 Grand Rapids will air every news broadcast (Daybreak, eightWest, and newscasts at noon, 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 10 p.m. and 11 p.m) from a remote studio at the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM). Viewers are invited to come watch the newscasts and get a behind-the-scenes look at how 24 Hour News 8 works. A one-hour ArtPrize shortlist special will also air on WOOD TV8 at 7 p.m. on Sept. 24. The winners of ArtPrize 2012 will be announced in a one-hour special Oct. 5 at 8 p.m. on WOOD TV8.

Maybe the best sign of how moving Eli Zaret's documentary is, is that halfway through you stop noticing it's Eli Zaret's documentary. It's also instructive that he doesn't want it to be thought of as Eli Zaret's documentary, even though he's the executive producer, co-writer and narrator.

Tim Feagan, General Manager for Clear Channel's West Michigan radio stations, has taken over as Chairman of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters. He replaces Trey Fabacher who recently left WWJ-TV Detroit for a job in Atlanta, GA.

Viewers of the Michigan Lottery's televised drawings will soon be missing the three long time personalities who rotated on-camera time. The Lottery will not be renewing the contracts of Aggy Usedly, Beth McCleod and Darryl Wood as of September 29th - after that, the drawings will all be automated. Usedly had the longest tenure of the trio, spending 35 years hosting lottery events on television. The drawings are seen statewide on a single TV station in each market.

Michigan State University's locally produced quiz show QuizBusters starts a new season this evening on the school's public TV station, WKAR-TV Ch. 23 East Lansing at 8 p.m. Two Special Edition episodes kick off the 24th season of QuizBusters in primetime and feature a visit from MSU Athletics' mascot Sparty along with other local celebrities. QuizBusters regularly features students from mid-Michigan high schools competing in a fast-paced question and answer game.

Pistons announce local TV and radio broadcast schedules

The Detroit Pistons announced their 2012-13 local television schedule today with 80 of the team's regular-season games being televised by FOX Sports Detroit and FOX Sports Detroit Plus. Including one ESPN broadcast as part of the NBA's national television schedule, 81 of the club's 82 regular-season games will be available on television. George Blaha and Greg Kelser return as the voices of the Pistons on TV.

The Pistons also announced their radio broadcast schedule which includes 80 regular season games on the Pistons' flagship station 97.1 FM The Ticket and one game carried on WWJ 950 AM. All radio broadcasts will include exclusive pre- and postgame coverage. Additionally, 97.1 FM The Ticket will air special weekly interviews with coaches and players and expanded Pistons coverage throughout each week of the NBA season on-air and online at www.971theticket.com. Mark Champion will continue as the voice of Pistons radio broadcasts with Pistons legend Rick Mahorn adding color commentary for all home and away contests.

Grand Rapids Press:

B-93 radio personality Dave Conrad says he has two good reasons to spread the word about an ArtPrize entry: The artist is his kidney donor, and the drawing she has created is a compelling picture that reflects her giving nature.

The Detroit Historical Society celebrated the opening of its own version of the Hollywood Walk of Fame Wednesday morning, showcasing the handprints and signatures of almost two dozen Detroit icons. Detroit Legends Plaza had its official ribbon cutting ceremony just outside the Detroit Historical Museum's southwest entrance in Midtown.

Veteran news anchor Diana Lewis of WXYZ-TV (Channel 7) says Hollywood can keep its Walk of Fame now that the Motor City has its Detroit Legends Plaza. Lewis and WJR-AM (760)'s Paul W. Smith were honored at Wednesday's ceremony celebrating the opening of the Detroit Historical Society's Detroit Legends Plaza, an outdoor attraction at the Midtown museum.

Detroit Public Television (WTVS-TV Ch, 56, DPTV) is part of the national American Graduate Day on Saturday September 22, featuring seven uninterrupted hours of TV and online programming, from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., designed to call attention to solutions to America's dropout crisis.

American Graduate Day is part of the American Graduate: Let's Make It Happen, a public media initiative supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), to help local communities across America address the dropout crisis. Metro Detroit is one of the program's participating markets.

National American Graduate Day programming will break each hour for local broadcasters to offer their own programming. In Southeast Michigan, DPTV will feature solutions offered by more than a dozen organizations focused locally and regionally, including: Big Brothers Big Sisters, The Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Black Family Development, City Year, Communities in Schools, Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, Excellent Schools Detroit, Matrix Theatre Company, the Michigan Department of Education, the United Way for Southeast Michigan, Widening Advancements for Youth, Winning Futures and the YMCA.

Additionally, throughout the broadcast, hosts Fred Nahhat and Desiree Cooper will provide the audience with opportunities to connect to mentorship and volunteer opportunities.

"American Graduate Day is part of our long-term commitment to work with the Southeast Michigan community on this vital issue," said Rich Homberg, President and General Manager of Detroit Public Television. "We are using power of media to provide the community with new tools needed to raise awareness of this dropout crisis and convene the people who have the best chance at reversing the trends."

Excellent Schools Detroit, the MGM Grand Detroit and the United Way for Southeast Michigan each provided underwriting support for the programming. More information on American Graduate: Let's Make It Happen is available at www.americangraduate.org.

BIRACH BROADCASTING Sports WCAR (ESPN)/DETROIT has appointed veteran MOTOWN TV and radio personality MARK WILSON as OM/PD/nights host. A multiple winner of the MICHIGAN BEST SPORTSCAST AWARD, WILSON returns to DETROIT following a stint in LAS VEGAS.

E.W. Scripps affiliate WXYZ-TV Ch. 7 Detroit will launch Bounce TV, the nation's first broadcast television network designed for African-American audiences, on Wednesday, September 26th, the day the network celebrates its first birthday. The new network will be seen over-the-air on channel 7.3.

Bounce TV programming targets African-Americans between the ages of 25 and 54, with a programming mix of theatrical motions pictures, live sporting events, documentaries, specials, inspirational faith-based programs, off-net series and original series.

The network is currently available in 60% of television households in 17 of the top 20 television markets, and in more than 80% of African American homes.

"We're extremely excited to provide this unique programming opportunity for the roughly 400,000 African-American homes throughout Southeast Michigan," says Ed Fernandez, Divisional General Manager and VP & GM of WXYZ. "We look forward to building this network for our local viewers and believe this effort, as has always been the case at WXYZ, will serve our community well".

In celebration of the 2012 fall line-up and to honor four Southeastern Michigan community leaders, Detroit Public Television (WTVS-TV Ch. 56, DPTV) will host its 11th Annual Premiere Night gala on Thursday, Sept. 27. Held at The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit, the event will begin at 6 p.m.

Premiere Night is DPTV's signature fundraising event, which unveils the fully-loaded PBS fall season and a variety of new local DPTV productions. Widely regarded as one of the most anticipated fundraising events in Metro Detroit, guests of Premiere Night will enjoy an elegant evening of cocktails,hors d'oeuvres, dinner, a live auction and the presentation of DPTV's dedicated community leader awards.

In the cutthroat world of morning radio, where personalities are discarded like a half-empty cup of coffee, he's been a consistent voice for 12 years. Now Spike, part of the morning crew at WKQI-FM's (95.5) "Mojo in the Morning," will be around a little bit longer.

With heavy hearts we are sad to report 9&10 News/Fox 32 Anchor Scott Michael Trager died unexpectedly this morning. He was an accomplished journalist, caring family-man, and a friend to many. Scott Michael Trager began his career at 9&10 News in 1990 and was currently the co-anchor of Northern Michigan's favorite morning show Michigan This Morning. Over the twenty plus years he spent at 9&10 News he earned many accolades including two Emmy Awards from the National Television Academy Michigan Chapter. He also helped create the award winning Sports Overtime show while Sports Director at 9&10 News in the mid 1990's.

I see ya, Rod and Mario. In an effort to determine which television broadcast teams are most biased in Major League Baseball, The Wall Street Journal has released a study identifying baseball's top TV "homers."

Falling: Detroit's market rank according to radio ratings service Arbitron. Metro Detroit will be behind Miami, FL this autumn as the 12th largest market (down from 11th) in the country after losing over 28,000 residents over age 12. The Detroit area's 12+ population loss combined with South Florida's gain of over 110,000 resulted in the latest drop for Detroit. Arbitron's market area for Metro Detroit shows 3,760,200 people age 12 and above, behind Miami's 3,781,100 and ahead of Seattle's 3,538,100.

WWTV-WFQX devoted time on the Thursday morning newscasts to remember Scott Michael Trager, who died unexpectedly Wednesday morning. Trager was the morning anchor at the Traverse City CBS and Fox affiliates. He joined WWTV in 1990 and spent several years as sports director before switching to news.

WTKA offers up annual University of Michigan football flashback: Sports WTKA AM 1050 Ann Arbor will be rebroadcasting the Michigan vs. Michigan State football game tomorrow, Saturday September 29th, at noon. This year's featured game originally took place on October 6, 1979 in East Lansing with legendary "homer" Bob Ufer calling the game. Since it's a bye week for U-M's football team, this is a way for Wolverine fans to still get their football fix said Tom Ufer, who obtained the audio from the deep archives of Art Vuolo, who maintains www.vuolovideo.com and can be reached at artvuolo@aol.com. In areas outside of WTKA's listening area, the game will also be streamed at www.wtka.com.

Cumulus News/Talk WJR AM 760 Detroit will tap Governor Rick Snyder as one of three guest hosts while morning legend Paul W. Smith takes a short break on Tuesday, October 2nd and Wednesday, October 3rd. Mary Kramer; Publisher of Crain's Detroit Business along with Daniel Howes of the Detroit News will co-host from 6a-9a Tuesday, while Governor Rick Snyder is scheduled to host the morning show Wednesday.

Smith, the morning "Great Voice of the Great Lakes" at WJR since 1996, said: "Finally, Governor Snyder gets the chance to be on the other side of the microphone! I'm thrilled and honored that he, Mary and Daniel have taken time out of their very busy schedules to host the morning show for me on Detroit's News/Talk leader."

Hour Detroit:

Jeff Murri, the charismatic vice president and general manager of Detroit's Fox 2 (WJBK-TV), was walking across the parking lot of his favorite lunchtime restaurant after a business meal with his general sales manager, Sheila Bruce, when a motorist stopped at a nearby red light had his speakers pumping music so loudly that Murri barely could hear his voice in conversation.